Actor Suriya has opened up about his relationship with his younger brother Karthi, describing that he feels “fatherly affection” for his brother, admitted that fans often approach him only to ask about Karthi, and recalled the moment he first realised his younger brother was going to be something special.That moment, according to Suriya, was Paruthiveeran. Speaking at the audio and trailer launch of Karthi’s upcoming film Sardar 2, Suriya said, “The first time I was truly stunned was during Paruthiveeran. That’s where it all started,” Suriya said. “When he came back from the USA, you know those huge rice bags? He would eat chips in the USA to the point where he became almost the size of a rice sack.”Karthi had been studying Industrial Engineering at Binghamton University in New York before returning to India. He took a few film lectures at New York State University during his time there, which sparked his interest in cinema. Upon returning, Mani Ratnam offered him an acting role in Aayutha Ezhuthu in 2004, which Karthi declined, choosing instead to work as an assistant director on the film. It was director Ameer who eventually cast him in his lead debut, Paruthiveeran.Also Read: From Rs 5000 salary to Rs 100 cr films: How engineer Karthi accidentally found stardom“For Paruthiveeran, he completely transformed himself. His entire look and physique changed. When you see all of that, that transformation is really amazing,” Suriya said.‘More than a brother’Suriya then turned to their personal relationship, offering a level of emotional honesty that is unusual for public events in Tamil cinema. “I take my father’s stature. I see fatherly affection, more than brother, for Karthi,” he said. “There is no jealousy between us.”He then shared an anecdote that illustrated the dynamic between them with more clarity than any statement about brotherly love could. “When people approach me, they don’t ask about me. They say we are big fans of Karthi and ask about him,” Suriya said, laughing.Story continues below this adRather than presenting this as a complaint, Suriya framed it as a reflection of his brother’s impact. “More than me, Karthi thinks about cinema in deep and is true to the audience,” he said.The Sivakumar familySuriya and Karthi are the sons of veteran Tamil actor Sivakumar, who appeared in over 180 films across five decades. Despite the family’s deep roots in cinema, both brothers have maintained that their father did not produce films for them or recommend them for roles.Despite both being major stars, the brothers have never appeared together in a film as co-leads, though they have produced each other’s films through Suriya’s 2D Entertainment and have shared the stage at promotional events.What is Sardar 2 about?Sardar 2, directed by PS Mithran, features Karthi in dual roles as Sardar and Vijay Prakash, reprising his characters from the 2022 original. The cast includes S.J. Suryah as the antagonist, Malavika Mohanan, Ashika Ranganath, Rajisha Vijayan, Yogi Babu, Achyuth Kumar and Balaji Sakthivel. It is set for a worldwide release on September 10.